FTD........going after funeral business

[CHR]

From the FTD Delayed Response page.

Failure to reject as outlined above
and
rejecting the order after the 2 p.m. weekdays (1 p.m. weekends) local cut-off time on the date of the intended delivery - 2 x (value of order)
*Credited to Sending Florist

Didn't realized they'd doubled the value of the order.

I guess what you're saying is that if the shop misses the delivery date and never rejects the order, there's no penalty. I seem to recall members here stating otherwise and remarking how they'd been paid when a shop failed to deliver on the requested date.

 

[bootcampguy]

NO...........we missed a delivery a few months ago...........we got charged twice the face value. When I called, they said it was as if you........didn't make the cut-off time and rejected if you forgot and they through in the 2 hour rule.............whatever

 

[BOSS]

The way they have it set up, I think many florists simply reject upon receipt of the order especially at holidays. I mean 2 hours to reject leaves little time to contact a supplier if you don't have the needed stems in stock etc.

And what happens if you receive the order at 1:55 and reject at 2:01... are you charged then, since it's after the cut off time?

 

[bootcampguy]

...........And what happens if you receive the order at 1:55 and reject at 2:01... are you charged then, since it's after the cut off time?

I was told the 2 hour kicks if after 12 noon......

 

[LOTAKIDS]

BBJ was only curious WHY would FTD be "paying" members with a credit card, INSTEAD of the clearinghouse.......no need to be defensive Karen...you are MORE than eloquent enough!..

Sorry... didn't mean to be defensive.... it was hard to loose the business... I guess I am still mad and raw. Not sure why they are still using their credit card, but I did find the link on their sight to FTD. Part of their legacy thing.

 

[anytimeflowers]

I merged the two threads to consolidate the conversation.

As I mentioned on the Facebook page, I was intrigued by this quote:


So, the florists that Apatoff keeps putting at the centre of his motivational speeches are at the same time not capable of providing quality and consistency. But, they are good enough to fill these orders, of course

I'm intrigued too, because in my opinion a consistent, quality, branded experience isn't even possible in conjunction with order gathering and I do believe that with time the funeral homes will begin to see this.

FTD, the order gatherers, and now the funeral homes will all get their cuts before the florist. These florists will start to see even worse numbers for themselves and most assuredly will begin to skimp. Then the complaints will start, all aimed at the florist and not where the problem originates.

...and yet more join ~ sheesh ~ it really IS like herding cats, isn't it?

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

FTD, the order gatherers, and now the funeral homes will all get their cuts before the florist. These florists will start to see even worse numbers for themselves and most assuredly will begin to skimp. Then the complaints will start, all aimed at the florist and not where the problem originates.

The real problem is that the consumer will feel that flower are just to costly.....many already do.
So they will skip the flowers altogether and then everyone looses!

 

[CHR]

BBJ - I mentioned that in Karen's thread about SCI moving all their orders to FTD.

Had noticed somewhat high prices in FTD's sympathy section before she made her post. $150 for a basic carnation standing spray like this -



Seems way, way over-priced.

This 20" heart for approx. $250 would get plenty of complaints from our customers due to the low perceived value, too.

 

[BOSS]

The real problem is that the consumer will feel that flower are just to costly.....many already do.
So they will skip the flowers altogether and then everyone looses!

And yet many continue to tout the virtues of wire services and order gatherers... BOSS<shakes head>

 

[Rhonda]

Luckily, my funeral director asked me about a program similar to this over a year ago. So apparently this has been in the works for a while. They were offered to get their site through Batesville and the "flower order site". He called me and we discussed it at that time. I guess I'll have to make a follow up to tell him how great he looks with his weight loss and reinvigorate that conversation regarding their website.

 

[concord]

Luckily, my funeral director asked me about a program similar to this over a year ago. So apparently this has been in the works for a while. They were offered to get their site through Batesville and the "flower order site". He called me and we discussed it at that time. I guess I'll have to make a follow up to tell him how great he looks with his weight loss and reinvigorate that conversation regarding their website.

Butter up the funeral director, I like it! I married the guy so I guess I'm safe. Atleast I know one funeral home in town won't stab me in the back. Ofcourse the other funeral home hate me because I'm married to the competition.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

YOU can handle two husbands Helen!!....

 

[concord]

YOU can handle two husbands Helen!!....

If business doesn't pick up soon I might have to give that a try!

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

If business doesn't pick up soon I might have to give that a try!

Nothing like 2 Funeral Directors fighting for 1 body!!!!!!
Happened at the nursing home here a couple of years ago.....guess they almost came to blows!

 

[Grandma Nancy]

11/4/10
I just received a request from one of our local funeral homes. They are excited about their new website and wanted to know if we would be one of their featured florists. The site is being developed by Consolidated Funeral Services and will have a section to order floral arrangements developed by CFS. CFS will transmit the order to us by fax or email and take care of bankcard processing, bank fees, and taxes. The only charges to the filling florist would be 30% of the dollar amount--comparable to FTD and Teleflora. I thanked them for the opportunity and then gave the funeral home another option. They could link their site to our site and the customers could see the arrangements we do with the appropriate prices and and place the order over our secured site. We would take care of all the fees and offer the customer a discount. The customer would have the ease of ordering with less cost. My first impression of their original offer--the filling florist is paying for the web site. My second impression--someone else trying to make money off my back!

 

[BBJ (Big Bad John)]

11/4/10
I just received a request from one of our local funeral homes. They are excited about their new website and wanted to know if we would be one of their featured florists. The site is being developed by Consolidated Funeral Services and will have a section to order floral arrangements developed by CFS. CFS will transmit the order to us by fax or email and take care of bankcard processing, bank fees, and taxes. The only charges to the filling florist would be 30% of the dollar amount--comparable to FTD and Teleflora. I thanked them for the opportunity and then gave the funeral home another option. They could link their site to our site and the customers could see the arrangements we do with the appropriate prices and and place the order over our secured site. We would take care of all the fees and offer the customer a discount. The customer would have the ease of ordering with less cost. My first impression of their original offer--the filling florist is paying for the web site. My second impression--someone else trying to make money off my back!

This was posted here earlier and has nothing to do with FTD..............just one of many trying to make $$$ on the florists back.

 

[vandersalm]

Just another sign of the changing times and a struggling corporation trying to increase their bottom line at the expense of the members who make their existence possible. What's next?

 

[pratima]

When I received the e-mail from FTD about this my gut feeling was, here we go again - another way to take business away from local florists. I have been toying with the idea of quitting FTD and this put
a seal on that. You are right, what next. I have argued with both wire services for years about
lowering prices to attract more business. Sure enough if they were lowering other costs to the flower shops, lowering prices may be viable but over the past few years cost of being a member of wire service has escalated while the orders you recieve have gone down in value to the point where you do not make even a dollar on the order. I have turned down many orders if they are not profitable. Public has to be educated as to the true value of an arrangement and who are better than wire service to do that - but when their only aim is to make more money for themselves and their shareholders - does not matter at what cost - why to be a member. Well definitelly FTD is going. I still like Teleflora better so they will stay for the time being - the Canadian office is a pleasure to work with!

 

[SallyDanciu]

Maybe we'll see an end to "In lieu of flowers" now that the funeral homes will be getting a cut of funeral flower sales.

 

[Mikey the Flower Guy]

Maybe we'll see an end to "In lieu of flowers" now that the funeral homes will be getting a cut of funeral flower sales.

I actually hadn't thought about that "possible" side benefit!!...